Difficult Decisions
by Ashalayn
Summary: Rin's life is completely changed when his sister falls in to a deep sleep and he is forced to take her place and make a contract with the two ayakashi protecting their family. What will happen to him when he learns that his life is in danger? Who wants him dead? Will he be able to survive? Old Japan AU.
**A/N: So today I bring to you afresh idea that came to me and I just had to write. it might not be clear enough but it's written in the old times because I wanted to write a yokai/ayakashi related story... This story will have two parts, and by parts I don't mean chapters, it will be separated in two different timelines. Anyway here is where the first part begins.. I hope you like it and for any questions either write a review or pm me.**

* * *

Matsuoka Rin's life was supposed to be predetermined, he was a male of the famous Matsuoka clan. A clan that produced priestesses for hundreds of years.

He just had to live his life in the shadow of his little sister, Gou, as she was chosen to be the next priestess from a young age.

Every generation had one priestess that would make a contract with the two ayakashi protecting the clan, a great wolf and a fox one.

Even though Rin was raised in such a family he never really believed in ayakashi and stuff like that, he thought his sister had gone crazy when she told him she was going to become a priestess. He thought it was such a waste since she was such brilliant kid, but she had to waste the rest of her life trapped in that damned house, not being allowed to go anywhere alone.

He didn't want to let her do it but she was too stubborn to listen to him, so he just accepted it.

After she made her decision it was like she wasn't herself anymore, her smile had vanished almost immediately and she had turned paler than usual.

Rumors went around that she didn't have enough strength to keep the contract with both demons. Everyone could see that she was trying her best but it still wasn't enough. She kept strong for some years but she reached her limits by the time Rin was seventeen.

* * *

Rin was reading a book beside the open window in his room, though he stopped paying attention to the words written in it a while ago. His eyes travelled over the view of the yard outside his window.

It was such a beautiful and peaceful morning, the wind blowing softly on his face, swaying his shoulder-length red hair.

He was lost in his thoughts as footsteps were getting closer to his room.

The door slid open, revealing a boy the same age as Rin, with black hair and a pair of blue eyes, as clear as the sky.

He looked at Rin and without announcing himself, he entered the room, closing the door behind him.

"Rin you are being summoned by your father to the main hall." he said with a voice void of any emotion.

Rin blinked and looked up at the raven-haired boy, then sighed.

"Haru how many times have I told you to not enter my room like that?" his voice was slightly annoyed.

Haru ignored his comment and kept staring at him.

Knowing he wouldn't get any answer he just set his book down and got up from his sitting spot while straightening his clothes.

He wanted to avoid his father for as long as he could but if he was summoned then there was no escaping. After for his father to go out of his way to call for him it meant really bad news.

His mind went straight to Gou, he had been worried for a while since he hadn't heard from her in almost a week. It was quite unusual of her really, even if she didn't feel well she would put on a fake smile and still talk to him, though Rin could see right through it. He was her brother after all.

Closing his eyes, Rin let out yet another sigh. There was no use getting worked up on that, he just had to go see his father and he would know what he wanted of him.

Haru turned his eyes toward him, his face never betraying his emotions.

"Stop sighing and just go. I don't want to get scolded for you being late again."

Rin raised an eyebrow at Haru and crossed his arm across his chest.

"Is that the way you should talk to your master Haru?" he questioned in teasing voice.

"Might I remind you that your father is my master? Now stop lazing around, you will never earn the master's respect if you are always late."

"Like I care for that old man's respect or anything else he might think of me."

Not caring to see if Haru had anything more to say, Rin walked out of his room and slid the door close behind him.

He slowly walked toward the main hall, suddenly noticing that the house was hauntingly silent. He didn't know if it was a bad premonition or just his imagination.

His feet came to a halt when he reached his destination. Before he could reach out to the door, it was already open, revealing his mother's face right in front of him and his father sitting in the middle of the room. His mother's face was quite pale with a pair of big black shadows under her eyes. The whole room radiated a solemn atmosphere which made Rin uneasy.

"Oh Rin you are finally here, go sit with your father and I will be back shortly with some tea. We have something really important to discuss with you."

Rin nodded and sat cross-legged opposite from his father. He let his eyes wonder anywhere but to his father, he deeply despised him. That man was the reason behind Gou's decision to become a priestess which eventually brought his mother's emotional breakdown. Even though everyone thought of him as a legit family head, he really wasn't, and above all he wasn't Rin's real father. He was just the man his mother was forced to marry after her first husband had died by an illness much too soon. That man sitting in front of Rin was just a cruel man who had taken advantage of their need and destroyed the main line of the clan with his foolishness and had forced his mother to produce another heir of the Matsuoka bloodline besides Gou and Rin.

He was brought back to reality by his mother leaving a cup of tea in front of him. He offered her a soft smile and accepted the cup.

The man who called himself Rin's father ignored his own cup and looked deeply into Rin's eyes.

"Let's get to the point at once. I called you here today because last week your sister collapsed after overworking herself for years even though she knew she was too weak. Such a foolish girl." the man said while keeping his eyes on Rin.

"Are you kidding me? You were the one that pushed her to do it and you are calling her foolish? You are the only foolish one here" Rin snapped at the man.

His mother gasped and looked at Rin shocked.

"Rin what are you talking about? How could talk to your father like that?"

Rin sprung up furious at his mother's words, resulting in his teacup to tumble down along with its contents.

"That man is no father of mine. All he has ever done is destroy our family and take advantage of you and our wealth." his voice was menacing now as he glared at the other male.

The man's mouth turned up into a disgusting smirk that made Rin want to punch him but he held himself back only to see what he had to say.

"I couldn't care less for your opinion on me, so now that's out of way sit down and listen to me. You have to obey my orders until you are 21 at least even if you hate me or not."

Rin's eyes remained in a glare state as he sat down once again, not wanting to give the other man the satisfaction of thinking his words had stung deep inside. He bit his lip, wanting so much to say something but when he opened his mouth different words came out.

"Anyway, how is my sister now?" he felt proud of himself for not letting any poison touch his voice this time around. "Can I see her?"

He saw his mother flinch, which gave him a bad feeling of what was to come of his 'father's' mouth next.

"She had been in a deep sleep since the moment she collapsed. We can do nothing more for her now, only wait for her to awake. I won't stop you if you want to see her but nothing will come out of it, but this is not the main reason I summoned you here." The cold man in front of Rin looked him dead in the eye while still smirking. "You are going to take your sister's place and make a contract with the two ayakashi."

Rin was left frozen as the words reached his ears. He blinked and tried to tell himself he had heard wrong but then he looked at his mother who was avoiding his eyes. They couldn't be asking that of him. It was impossible really, he was male after all.

"W-what? How can I even do that? Isn't the person who makes a contract with them supposed to be female? I don't know if you forgot but I am totally a male." he tried to keep the tremor away from his voice but he failed.

The other man let out a cold laugh as though he found Rin's words hilarious.

"This won't be the first time they will make a contract with a male, and you do have quite the feminine face so you will be fine. Try not to anger them though. Now that we are done here, Haruka is waiting for you outside, he will lead you to the inner parts of this house" and with that he got up and left the room, not letting Rin talk back.

He was rooted in the place he sat not being able to move a muscle, he could only think, think of all the words he had heard since he entered this room. He couldn't believe his life could change so fast, without even his permission. His life wasn't only his anymore and that frustrated him.

A hand on his cheek brought him back to reality, as he raised his eyes to meet his mother's ones, they were full of worry. Her touch on his skin was a little soothing as he felt some tension leave him.

"I am so sorry Rin, I tried to tell him not to do this but he refused. I don't want to lose another child. I know you want nothing to do with this whole situation, i don't want you to either."

Her eyes were now filled with unspilled tears, tears she must have held inside her for so long but tried to hide so hard. Just looking at he eyes made Rin's heart hurt. Why did something so cruel had to happen to this fragile woman?

Rin wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead, as if to make her feel safer. His voice as soft as the summer wind only for her to hear.

"I will be alright mother. I promise you that when all this is over you will have both of your children back. Gou won't sleep forever and when the time comes for her to awake we both will be by your side again."

The woman wiped her tears away and gave him a warm smile, one that set her tired features alight, making her look so much younger, almost a spitting image of her daughter.

"Thank you Rin, i will try my best to take care of your sister while you are gone. I am so lucky to have such a good son." she said and pulled her son up along with her. "You shouldn't let Haru wait for much longer. Please be safe."

"I will mother. Now if you will excuse me, I need to get going."

His mother nodded her approval and watched him as he went through the door to join his servant and only friend.

* * *

As Rin exited the room he was met with a pair of emotionless deep blue eyes.

"So why didn't you tell me what my dear father wanted of me before? Eh Haru?" his voice was dripping with sarcasm as he looked at the other boy.

"Because I wasn't allowed to talk about it. Though I don't think you have much time to waste do you?" the boy said in a deadpan voice.

"Tsk I know already without you telling me. Before you take me anywhere I want to see Gou." his voice was harsh, not leaving room for a refusal.

"You don't need to tell me that. They brought her in her room this morning."

Without waiting Rin to answer, he starting walking towards Gou's room.

They walked in silence for a while until Haru surprisingly broke it.

"Make sure to come back alive, Gou would be devastated if she awoke and found you gone." his voice once again didn't betray any emotion but Rin knew he was worried deep down.

"Oh I didn't know you cared so much for me Haru. My heart feels so much lighter knowing that." his voice had a teasing tone to it this time around.

"I could care less about you, Gou is the one I am worried about."

Haru stopped in his tracks and turned to look Rin in the eyes. Rin chuckled softly as he could see the other's emotions in his eyes, he could hide them from anyone else but not Rin. They had grown up together after all.

"You know you are to dense Haru. Lighten up already. The world won't stop if I die. Not for you, not for Gou and not even for anyone other."

"Anything I tell you will go to waste so do whatever you want." The raven haired boy sighed and started walking once again.

Rin smiled to himself and followed the other male.

Soon after they reached their destination but Rin faltered as he came to stop in front of the door.

He knew beyond that door was his sister sleeping deeply but he was scared he might find her dead just like all those years ago with his father. He had turned his head away from him for a moment and the next time he looked back he was already gone. What if the same happened with his sister too?

He suddenly was afraid to even look inside the room. He didn't want to lose her too.

Before he could react though, the door was open and he was pushed inside the room. He turned his head toward the other male and gasped surprised.

"Haru what are you doing?" the redhead managed to keep his voice as low as he could but it still sounded like a squeal.

"If I didn't do that you would have spent all day thinking of stupid things. Now get on with it." was all Haru said and closed the door behind Rin.

The redhead sighed and got on his feet. His eyes travelled over the person laid on the futon in front of him. Her hair was almost a similar color as his but darker and longer. Her angelic face looked peaceful while she slept.

He dragged his feet to get closer to his sister, he knelt beside her and slowly, as if scared not to break her, he caressed her cheek.

It was as smooth as he remembered and it even gave away warmth to his cold skin. As if the warmth touched his heart, he felt relieved. She really was just sleeping. Now that his worries about her had left he felt so much more peaceful. His other hand softly stroked hers and with a small smile he whispered only to her.

"I will bring you back Gou, even if it's the last thing I have to do."

* * *

In a pitch black room, not too far away from where the two siblings were, silence dominated as two ominous auras filled the air.

Only two pairs of eyes could be seen shining through the dark, one teal and one green.

"I wonder where our next prey is." The silence was broken by the owned of the teal eyes.

"Patience, he will be here soon. He won't keep us waiting long." said the green eyed one.

"He better not or else he will have to pay for it."

The ominous tone of the teal eyes one could have freaked out anyone who could have heard him.

They were both waiting…

Waiting for their new 'master'...


End file.
